On Sunday July 8th the Wakefield Triathlon took place at Pugneys Country Park. Triathletes from Wakefield Triathlon Club were joined by competitors from all over the UK for this National Age Group Championship. The event was hotly contested with many of the country's top age group triathletes coming to Wakefield to race for places in the ITU World Triathlon Championships in Hamburg later this year.

The triathletes competed in twelve different age group categories, aged between 16 and 74. All started (in their relevant age group category) with a 1500m swim in Pugneys lake, once out of the water, it was a quick change out of their wetsuits before heading out onto the roads for the 40km cycle sections. This finished back at Pugneys where after another quick change the competitors ran 4 laps (10k) around the lake.

Despite stiff competition from some of the UK's best age groupers, Wakefield Tri Club's Chris Fothergill won his age group (35-39) and was the first to cross the finishline in a time of 2:11:37. With different age groups starting in waves 5 minutes apart Chris had to wait untill later in the day to discover his overall finishing place of 11th which was a fantastic result. Wakefield's Peter Howard also had a tremendous race winning his age group (70-74) and gaining a place in the GB squad alongside Chris and twins Victoria and Liz Burrows who are all heading to Germany. Other good local performances on the day came from Phil Mullins and Monique Hollinshead who narrowly missed out on a GB squad place.

Well done to all the Wakefield Triathlon club members who showed up in droves to race and support their local race, Wakefield had more than any other club competing with over 30 members in the event.

Over forty members of Wakefield Triathlon Club took to Pugneys lake on Sunday 24th June for a sprint distance Triathlon. The race was part of the club’s summer series and included a 500m swim followed by a 11 mile bike up to Haigh and finished off with a 5k two lap run around the lake.

First out of the swim was Steve Worthington, a recent recruit to the club he is currently at University in Leeds and part of the elite performance squad based at Carnegie. He was closely followed by Chris Fothergill who has been in great form this season, coming second overall at the Wetherby Triathlon earlier in the month. There was good competition between the two on the bike section with Chris taking a minute lead into the run section. Onto the run and Steve pulled Chris back going to win in an overall time of 57.40. Chris closely followed in second place 27 seconds behind. Also performing well was Steve Rimmer taking third place finishing in a time of 1.00.03. The race between the ladies was also fiercely contested, with Rachael Mellor taking first place in a great time of 1.06.14, Wendy McBride came in second just over 2 minutes behind and Vicky Burrows coming in third in 1.09.20.

Plucky Brit award went to John Ludvigsen, who after being one of the first to exit the swim got to his bike only to realise he didn’t have his cycling shoes with him! After running back to the car and finding they weren’t there he went back to the lakeside to be given a bike and shoes by Ricky Sharp who was there as a spectator. John went on to complete the race but ended up with sore feet and a sore back, not only were the shoes a size and a half too small but the bike was too small as well!

Well done to everyone who took part, as usual there was a wide range of abilities competing with good competition right through the field.

The race is one of 17 events which makes up the clubs summer series. Other races include swim-run aquathons, run-bike-run duathlons as well as 10 mile cycle time trials. Although the series is an informal club competition, as the club has grown the series has become more popular, regularly attracting over thirty competitors.

Well done to everyone who braved the conditions on Wednesday evening for the long duathlon, amazingly 28 people turned up! The results are attached. Note because of increased numbers in the summer series events we have changed the scoring system, 20 points to Chris Fothergill, 19 to second, 18 to third place etc etc.

The next event is a week on Sunday when its a sprint triathlon. We would like everyone to pre-enter this event as numbers will be limited. It is only open to paid up Wakefield Tri members. The attached list shows who is entered so far. Let me know if you want to be added to the list.

Last weekend saw the first Wakefield Junior Triathlon at Thornes Park. Juniors aged between 8 and 14 from Wakefield Junior Triathlon Club were joined by competitors from all over Yorkshire for this regional series event. They were also joined by a number of children who had spent the previous week at a Triathlon training camp at Thornes Park Stadium.

The children competed in four different age group categories, each group doing progressively longer distances. All started with a pool swim at Thornes Park pool, once out of the water, it was a quick change into running shoes before the children headed out onto the adjoining playing fields for the cycle and run sections.

Despite stiff competition from some of the regions top juniors, Wakefield Tri Club's Heather Ludvigsen, Tom Humphreys, Joe Dransfield and Libby Greatorex all took top three places.

The event was organised and run by Wakefield Triathlon Club in conjunction with Wakefield Council. The race was praised by many of the parents for it's excellent course and organisation, due in no small part to the 20 plus club members who turned up early to set out the course, time keep and marshal the event.

This topped off a great weekend for the Club and the juniors in particular. The previous Friday evening saw 60 junior and senior club members being teamed up into pairs for a run-bike duathlon at Pugneys. The children completed the run before handing over to their senior team-mate who went out on an eleven mile cycle race before returning to Pugneys. The event was more about fun than serious racing and was followed by a BBQ, where friends and family joined the competitors.

In three weeks time it will be the senior members turn to race when they will join nearly 1000 competitors for the Wakefield Triathlon at Pugneys. The race is the National Age Group Championships and will see competitors from all over the country competing for places in the World Championships later in the year in Hamburg.

Wakefield Triathlon club now has over 150 members. Nearly forty children attend regular training sessions at Thornes Park and compete in a host of regional cycling and triathlon events.

This year's summer series of events has got off to a flyer. Over thirty competitors have attended each of the first three Pugneys run-bike-run duathlons and twenty seven competitors took to the lake for the first Aquathon on Sunday the 13th May. The growing numbers taking part in these races have made them much more competitive across all abilities as well as creating a great atmosphere around the watersports centre.

These low-key races are perfect training for upcoming triathlons throughout the summer especially if you're competing in the Wakefield Triathlon in July as many parts of the duathlon courses are the same routes used on the event. Don't worry if you've missed the first four events, there are plenty more to go at, a full list of the remaining events is listed inside.

The dangers of cycling on British Roads were again highlighted earlier this month when Tom Randall was involved in an accident whilst cycling in Leeds.

A motorist pulled out from a junction right in front of him. He hit the bonnet and was thrown over the car on the ground. He sustained a broken knee and hand. His helmet took a lot of the impact and he avoided serious head injuries.

It sound like Tom will be out of action for a while, we all wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him back at the summer series races before too long.

The Pugneys open water swim sessions are now on every Saturday and Sunday morning. The first few sessions have been extremely popular with over forty swimmers taking to the water on Saturday 19th May.

These sessions can only take place if we have club members who are willing to act as spotters. With well over 100 club members, all the sessions should easily be covered if everyone takes a turn. Please contact Dean Wilkinson to let him know when you can volunteer: dean.wilkinson@wysport.co.uk

11th August 2007 Relay x 4: 400m Swim
15km Bike, 5km Run National Watersports Centre, Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham

If you haven't raced at the Relays, you really have missed out, just ask any of the Wakefield Tri competitors who were there last year to find out what a great event it is. One of the most exhilarating and fun events on the UK calendar the Relays revolves around teams of four using a tagging format where everyone swims, everyone bikes and everyone runs in a race that looks like a mixture between competition and chaos. With a 400m swim, a 15km bike and a 5km run any four triathletes can get together and make up a team and race in one of the range of team categories available.

But don't think it is just one big laugh, with BTA National Honours at stake there will be some serious racing out there on a completely closed course over which your team-mates can see you (and shout at you) for the duration of all three disciplines. Ever fancied racing a triathlon in an arena, well this is as close as it gets.

Get in touch if you would like to take part and we will put the teams together, but contact us soon, as this event often fills up quickly. Some members have even talked about camping the night before and making a weekend of it. To put yourself forward contact Ian O'Brien: Telephone 07979 693401 Email ian.obrien50@virgin.net

5th May 2007

Wakefield Triathlon's Peter Howard headed out to Lanzarote at the beginning of May to compete in the standard distance Volcano Triathlon. He managed to extend his stay on the island to four weeks, culminating in the race on the 5th May.

As usual, Peter's performance was astonishing for someone in his mid seventies, he completed the 1500m swim in 28.23, the 40k bike in 1.32.47, and the 10k run in 58.22. His overall time was 3.04.48.

Look out for him at the Wakefield event in July where he'll be aiming to qualify for the World Championships later in the year.

6th May 2007

Well, another visit to the Southwell Sprint Triathlon under my belt, this time along with a dozen other Wakefield Tri Club members. Another feather in the cap too of race organisers One Step Beyond Promotions, who consistently produce the goods on this well organised, well attended and very friendly Sprint Triathlon. Unfortunately, Wakefield does not yet have its own marquee to use as a meeting place, but a few of us still managed to get together before and after the race and experience the post-event culinary delights of the Spread Eagle pub in nearby Hockerton.

Conditions on the day were excellent, though we did face a head wind on the outward section of the mildly undulating bike course. Personally, I was just glad to complete the run section without any adverse reaction to my recent hamstring injury. The same goes for Morgan who was pleased with his own performance following his recent injury problems.

Well done to James Gray, first WTC finisher, closely followed by Dale Antcliffe and to Wendy Oliver, our first lady. Emily Anderson successfully completed her debut triathlon and was still on a high as a result in the pub afterwards. Dave Dawson also did well on his debut triathlon despite a sore shoulder.

Thanks to Justine, who acted as my personal “bag man” and made sure I remained organised, focussed and didn't get flustered as I normally do at triathlon events, or any other events come to that. Everyone I spoke to seemed to enjoy the occasion and hopefully we will all be there, perhaps with a few other WTC members, at the Last Minute Tri in September.

Our excellent new website should enable us to make arrangements to meet up afterwards for a post event chinwag over lunch and a pint. See you there.

More details in the Newsletter here [ Transition 7 ]

Dave Bancroft

20th May 2007

There were some great performances from Wakefield Tri competitors at The Wetherby Olympic distance Triathlon. Chris Fothergill continued his excellent early season form by taking second place overall.

John Ludvigsen in his first full event for nine years also took a top 20 place in a great time of 2.13.12.

Also coming through in the top thirty were Mick Flaherty, Chris Johnson and Ricky Sharp.

More details in the Newsletter here [ Transition 7 ]